Ecuador's Minister of Security Gustavo Larrea shows the place inside Ecaudorean territory where Colombian security forces killed Luis Edgar Devia, known as Raul Reyes, and the number two commander of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC).

Dolores Ochoa/AP

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Bogota, Colombia

Tensions in the Andes are running high after Colombia launched an airstrike on leftist rebels based in neighboring Ecuador over the weekend.

Colombia, a staunch US ally, says it never violated Ecuador's sovereignty in the operation that killed 17 rebels, including Raúl Reyes, the most senior rebel ever to be killed in combat in the more than 40 years since the rebels rose up against Colombia's government.

Reyes was widely considered to have been next in line to succeed legendary FARC founder Manuel "Sureshot" Marulanda.

Reyes was the FARC's spokesman and one of the top negotiators during failed peace talks with the government of Andés Pastrana from 1998 to 2002, during which he led a FARC commission on a tour of several European nations.

Reyes was wanted in connection with 57 murders and four cases of kidnapping, according to the general prosecutor's office. He also faced charges for 26 counts of terrorism and 25 for rebellion.

Colombia's Defense Minister Juan Manuel Santos said that, in Saturday's operation, ground troops in pursuit of the rebels were fired on from within Ecuadorian territory and aircraft were called in to bomb the location from Colombian airspace.

Colombian police were then sent into Ecuador to secure the base and retrieve the bodies of Reyes and a second rebel commander killed in the raid.

Correa said his own troops sent to the area had found the bodies of 15 rebels in a makeshift camp in their underwear.

"There was no pursuit," he said angrily. "They were bombed and massacred while they slept."